October Virtual Book Club

This week's fun was inspired by the wonderful book Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  This post is part of The Virtual Book Club for Kids.

This summer, I participated in a Summer Book Exchange Program with Kim from The Educators' Spin On It.  I sent her family the book Spoon and created the activities for them to enjoy.   You can see the fun they had with it here.  I was very excited to introduce this book and the activities I planned to my own little Mommy and Me Group last week!  

Gathering Activity: Musical Pots and Pans
(This activity develops hand eye coordination, imaginative play, and cooperation skills). 

We had our loudest gathering time ever this week!  The children had a wonderful time creating their own band with utensils, pots, and pans.  (Although more than one mommy commented on how LOUD the activity was).  




Circle Time
 (During circle time we practice listening skills, social skills, language development, and early literacy skills).

We read the story Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  It is a delightful picture book with a moral.  The story is of a spoon who is feeling a tad jealous when he compares his life with the seemingly more exciting lives of his friends, the fork, chopsticks, and knife.  His mother kindly listens to him and validates his feelings about the talents of his friends, but at the same time encourages him to see himself the way they might see him.  Equally as endearing as the sweet life lesson and happy illustrations, are the cute puns.  My favorite is when Spoon and his family "spoon" together all snuggled up at bedtime. 
 
We taught the children the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle," because it is mentioned in the book. 

Art Time: Spoon Puppets
(This activity develops fine motor skills, creates connections with literature, and promotes aesthetic creativity). 

Supplies Needed: large spoon, felt, glue, googly eyes, yarn, ribbons, fabric scraps, markers

Directions: We gave each child and mom their own spoon and materials to create a puppet which we used after snack in a puppet show.

SNACK-Applesauce with Chocolate Covered SPOONS
 (Snack time even provides learning time.  Children practice self-help skills, hand eye coordination, and social skills). 

We gave each of the children their own applesauce cup and one of these adorable chocolate covered spoons.  We were inspired by these we found here at JellyfishJelly.   You can click through to get complete directions to make your own! 

Games
 
1-Pom Pom Pick Up 

We provided each child with chopsticks and spoons.  The chopsticks were rubber-banded together to make them easier for our little ones to use successfully.  We gave each child a bowl of pom poms and an empty bowl.  The children used the chopsticks (or spoon if they chose) and moved the pom poms into the empty bowl.  We placed the empty bowl on the right hand side, to let them practice transferring them from left to right.  (Tracking left to right is an important early reading skill.  And this activity provided fine motor and self-help skills practice).

2-Puppet Show
(Social skills, literacy skills, language development)

 The children had a wonderful time outside creating their own puppet show in this fantastic theater a mom brought to share!  Puppet shows are so much fun for little ones!  They didn't want to stop!  And to be honest, I wasn't quite ready to stop listening to their fun imaginative play when it was time to go home.  

Did you have fun with one of Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books this month?  Please join our Virtual Book Club for Kids and link up your activities below and join these other fabulous bloggers!

Toddler Approved - Rainy Day Mum - Adventures in Reading with Kids - 3 Dinosaurs - Royal Baloo - The Educators' Spin On It - Inspiration Laboratories - Pleasantest Thing - Edventures with Kids - Two Big Two Little - Playing With Words 365 - Kitchen Counter Chronicles - Outlaw Mom - Mommy and Me Book Club - Crafty Moms Share - No Twiddle Twaddle - The Good Long Road - Ready. Set. Read 2 Me - Reading Confetti - Mama Smiles - Juggling with Kids- Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas - Creekside Learning - Creative Family Fun - The Usual Mayhem - Teach Preschool - PlayDrMom - CraftoArt - Here Come the Girls - Being a Conscious Parent - Smiling like Sunshine - Crayon Freckles - Train Up a Child - Smile Play Learn